Comparing teachers in segregated and integrated schools

Matthews draws comparisons between the faculty at Berry O'Kelly, an African American school, and Cary High School. Matthews had attended Berry O'Kelly prior to her involvement in the integration process. According to Matthews, the teachers at Berry O'Kelly were much more supportive, whereas the teachers at Cary High School gave her much less encouragement. Her comments convey a degree of nostalgia for her experiences with segregated education.

Citing this Excerpt

Oral History Interview with Gwendolyn Matthews, December 9, 1999. Interview K-0654. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Full Text of the Excerpt

PEGGY VAN SCOYOC:

When you were at Berry O'Kelly, how did that educational
experience differ from your educational experience at Cary High? Did you
see much difference?

GWENDOLYN MATTHEWS:

I think the difference, and one of the reasons I think I personally had
an adjustment was, I found the teachers at Berry O'Kelly very
nurturing and very encouraging. So that when I got to Cary High and did
not have that, it was much more distant and, to me, much more cut and
dried. Faculty members at Berry O'Kelly did not become our
friends, so I do not mean to say it that way, but
they were just very encouraging people. Very, "Gwen, what do
you mean, you don't have your homework? You know, I will call
your mother and tell her you didn't have your
homework." And I'm going, "Oh Mrs.,
I'll get it, I'll get it." That kind of
situation, whereas at Cary, and it simply could have been because of the
times, there was much more, "Oh, you don't have your
homework. Okay." And it was almost as if they didn't
expect me to have my homework if I didn't have it. I always
made sure I had it, but yes, there were times I did not have it. Part of
it was because I simply didn't understand it and trying to
get the help to understand was very, very, to be able to understand, was
very difficult.

PEGGY VAN SCOYOC:

Were you given the opportunity to even ask questions?

GWENDOLYN MATTHEWS:

Not that we were… We could ask the questions, but would I get
the response was the… no. I would not get the response.

PEGGY VAN SCOYOC:

Did they ignore you?

GWENDOLYN MATTHEWS:

Yes. So I did not have the opportunity to get the answers. And
that's where those three individuals became crucial. Because
if I was going to get any kind of understanding, those three people were
helpful. And again, looking back, and I know people are saying, oh you
know, she's just saying that so as not to be so hard
on… Looking back, I think I would understand, if I were an
instructor, and clearly some of the instructors honestly did not like
us. I mean, that was clear. They did not want Blacks there. That was
obvious, and so I knew that. But there were others that I thought also,
that I could tell, may have wanted to help, but just simply did not know
whether they should or could and how would they be thought of if they
did among their peers. And so I could tell that there were some who
honestly would have wanted to do so, but the environment was not
conducive to that.

PEGGY VAN SCOYOC:

Did you feel like you could or would want to approach any of your
teachers after class to ask for help or clarify questions you had? None
of your teachers?